Chapter Text
The Mabudachi Trio got together for a drink tonight.
The three young adult males regularly met up even though it was never scheduled, or done to celebrate any special purpose. It was usually Ayame who randomly suggested “let’s drink our youths away tonight” on a random weekday, and the rest would say something along the lines of “sure, if work allows it.” More often than not, Hatori made time by rearranging his appointments schedule, while Shigure was always happy to let his editor cry despite “his work” not actually “allowing” it.
So they would find a bar, get a small room to themselves, and they would catch up and talk about anything under the sun. Well, Ayame and Shigure mostly did the talking, inserting their signature bromance lines here and there. Hatori did mostly listening, smoking, and sighing. Honestly, even he himself sometimes wondered how on earth this strange dynamic of friendship actually worked. And lasted.
The conversation this particular night had been revolving around Ayame and his new lolita girlfriend, Mine Kuramae. Strange phenomenon indeed that Ayame, the very embodiment of vanity, flamboyance, and “extra-ness”, could actually be so in love and have it reciprocated. From his description, that girl sounded like one of a kind as well, perfectly suited for long haired man.
Whilst Hatori was happy for his friend, he couldn't help but feeling a little melancholic. Ayame seemed not the slightest bit worried about Akito. It was well known that the God couldn’t stand the Snake, so she’d probably hardly care if this particular Juunishi loved somebody else, even an outsider. Ayame wouldn’t need to undergo the pain Hatori and Kana went through not so long ago.
Shigure, the ever observant writer, seemed to be able to read Hatori’s mind regarding this, and so he didn’t question the Dragon’s more silent attitude throughout the evening. He chatted more with Ayame and the two of them goofed off as usual.
At around eleven, Ayame excused himself.
“My deepest, sincerest apology to both of you, my darling Gure-san, Tori-san. For it is a promise I’ve made to my sweet princess that I will be by her side before the clock strikes twelve. Bound by this honour, I must now remove myself from this passionate moment and bid you both farewells.”
Hatori only fixed him a bland stare.
Shigure however, dramatically wiped fake tears from his eyes. “Ohh my lovely Aaya. I understand your duty, but I will only forgive you if you promise to keep me in your thoughts every second we are apart, until our bittersweet hearts can be reunited again. Until then, I will try not to miss you too much.”
“Yosh!” They said simultaneously a second later, bright laughter echoing the room. Hatori wondered if this weird side too, was something that Mine girl accepted and maybe even adored.
Ayame waved them bye, and so the two dark haired men were left alone. They were quiet for a while, before Shigure stole a cigarette from the pack Hatori left on the table and started a topic.
“No sudden urgent call from the Main House tonight, Haa-san?”
“Obviously if I expect to be called, I wouldn't be here,” Hatori replied coolly. Somehow when it was just the two of them and Shigure wasn’t being particularly silly, their conversation would always circle around their God and their curse.
“Aaya is lucky isn’t he? He’s found a perfect girl, who loves him without questioning why they can’t hug, and he probably won’t get glass shards in his eyes when he wants to marry her.”
Such sharp words spoken with such a light tone and a big grin, Hatori mused, yet not surprised. This side of Shigure was not a rare occurrence to him.
“I’m not jealous, Shigure. I’m glad he doesn’t need to fear Akito. And that I won’t have to suppress that girl’s memories.”
“Honestly Haa-san, you’re too kind. That’s why you can’t say no to Akito’s command.”
“I don't want to hear that from the man who’s too unkind that he betrays all her commands.”
Shigure responded with a chuckle, but something about the glint in those grey eyes made Hatori alarmed. The Dog was a bit tipsy and relaxed from the alcohol and the nicotine, yet somehow he still exuded danger.
“Actually, I’ve been wondering about something,” Shigure started. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, seemingly unsure how to phrase his question. That alone made Hatori distressed. Shigure, the best-selling author slash master of smooth talking, unsure about wordings? Better brace yourself for what’s to come.
“Just spit it out, Shigure.”
Shigure looked straight at Hatori's eyes, and then quietly asked, “If… Akito demands you to sleep with her, would you do it?”
What the hell?
Hatori, Ayame, and perhaps even Kureno, knew how Shigure felt for Akito. They had the same dream, the same tears, but only one of them wanted the feeling to last forever and possessed it alone. Only one of them grew to seek the person behind the curse, the girl behind the masculine cloths, the Akito behind the God – to the point that he wanted to forcefully strip all of those layers off no matter who he had to hurt.
“What the hell Shigure?” Hatori actually cursed out loud, almost dropping his cigarette from his lips. “What brought this on? You can’t ask me something like that. You… for her… I can’t…” or can he? The Dragon was lost for words.
Hatori couldn’t go against Akito’s wrath when he intended to marry Kana. He couldn’t say no to erasing the memories of Yuki’s friends. He practically had accepted his fate to never fall in love again, to stay by Akito’s side, to care for her health primarily and live in the Sohma residence forever.
“Don’t worry, Haa-san. I’m not gonna throw away our friendship for the sake of a ‘what-if’. I’m the one who asked the question after all, so just be honest,” Shigure said cheerily, mask firm in place.
It’s not losing our friendship that I'm worried about, Hatori thought. It’s the fact that my answer will probably hurt you. And that losing our friendship will hurt you too.
Shigure should have known it by his hesitation already, but the damn dog really liked to poke his hand into the fire didn't he?
“If that happens, I’ll find medical and psychological reasons to convince her otherwise. She’s young, she’s mentally unstable and physically frail. Sex is not going to aid her with anything.”
There was anger in Shigure’s dark eyes, for sure understanding the implication that if Hatori was unable to convince and she still ordered him to fuck her, he might.
“She’s had sex before, Haa-san. As her doctor surely you know? And if I recall correctly, she enjoys sex, despite her oh so frail body.” Shigure smirked. “So, you would? Because you can’t say no to your God?”
Hatori was adamant on not verbally confirming it. “I’m not the one she wants in her bed. It will never happen. So this conversation is pointless.”
“Tch,” bitterness laced heavily in his scoff. Shigure downed the last gulp of his beer, his grip on the glass so tight it might be in danger of breaking. “Indulge me another question then, Haa-san. We are still hypothetically speaking after all. Would you still do it if your curse is somehow lifted?”
This time, Hatori's eyes were the one flashing. “The curse can't be lifted.” He said, incredulous. What is Shigure playing at? What’s with these questions? Has he somehow…
“I said iiiiif, Haa-san. Hypothetically. If!” Shigure whined, persistent. “You wake up one day, no curse, you’re actually free to do what you want. Akito pleads you to make love to her. All tantrums and tears. Will you or will you not, fuck her out of pity?”
That was another pointless thing to think about, but whiny Shigure was too damn annoying. Hatori sighed. It was hard to imagine, but Shigure had painted the picture for him clearly that he could see it unfolding in his mind’s eye.
All his life Hatori held affection for Akito. He remembered the little girl who asked to be hugged while shaking in tears, the girl who confided in him about her fear of loneliness, annoyance over her ill health, longing for her father, and bitter hatred for her mother. Hatori hated to see her cry. He used to be filled with pity often. And when he could wipe those tears and sparked a smile with a simple hug, Hatori was always ready to give.
However, that girl had grown up paranoid and lonelier than ever. That girl was now capable of hurt and cruelty, claiming her actions valid in the name of Godly destiny over the Zodiacs. That girl was brought up as a male chief of clan, believing that she was born to be loved by all when all she did was inspiring trauma left and right. It’s not that far of stretch that the now grown-up woman would ask to be comforted via something way more intimate than simply a hug.
Hatori imagined, if there was no curse, if he could do what he wanted, he might still stay around. Akito didn’t have many people in her life that truly cared for her. Maybe in staying, she would believe that even without the bond, someone still cared for her well-being. That love, other than the Juunishi bond, existed. And that love could be shown in many other ways, other than sex.
So no, he would not sleep with her. It wasn’t him who she wanted anyway, but so obviously Shigure instead. For Akito’s sake, for Shigure’s sake, Hatori would not meddle in what was already a messy affair between these two people he genuinely cared about.
He must have been silent for a while now, but Shigure patiently waited. Waiting was his forte, after all…
With clarity, Hatori finally answered. “I won’t.” With conviction he repeated, “I won’t do it, Shigure.”
But it wouldn’t matter, would it? Because the curse couldn’t be broken. Hatori knew Shigure had been trying to find the way for years. He had several theories, but none of them could be proven. Anytime now, if Akito really asked for it, Hatori might still give in, which meant severing the Mabudachi friendship forever and even indirectly encouraging Akito to be more selfish and cruel to the people around her.
He wished he could be more like Shigure, whose will was always stronger than the Zodiac spirit’s instinct.
At his answer, Shigure’s mask betrayed his emotion as something like relief washed over his face. “Huh.” Then he smiled a genuine one. “You don’t know how much I needed to hear that. Thanks, Haa-san.”
Hatori wanted to ask why, but Shigure already stood up and tidied up the bottles on the table. “It’s late, let’s go.”
The man continued to be an enigma. A ripple. Or a jellyfish. All analogies worked. Hatori snubbed his cigarette off and helped in cleaning up.
Before they left, Hatori thought he heard Shigure muttered “Fucking Kureno”, and again, despite being curious, Hatori did not ask.
And so the night ended and no friendship got broken. For now.
- End -